Amendments Nos. 16, 17 and 50 are related and may be discussed together by agreement.
SECTION 8.
Acting Chairman
I move amendment No. 16:
In page 8, subsection (2), between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following:
"(e) the provision, adjacent to public roads, and maintenance of litter receptacles, including temporary receptacles, of such types and quantity as are necessary for the needs of its functional area, and particular areas therein,
(f) the cleaning, with water, of footpaths and pavements within its functional area, and
(g) the establishment of award schemes for schools within their functional areas.".
I am attempting to put further obligations on local authorities to ensure the objectives of the Bill are achieved. Under the wording as it stands, there is no express obligation on local authorities to provide adequate numbers of litter receptacles on streets. From our experience, we know that, even when they are provided, there is never a sufficiency of them and neither are they strategically placed. I ask that an express obligation be put on local authorities to provide a sufficiency of litter bins. That is the purpose of the amendment. It also recognises the areas which may need special attention, for example, fast food outlets. My amendment also recognises that receptacles of different types may be required and that is why reference is made to temporary containers to deal with specific events in Croke Park, Lansdowne Road or Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork when a big concert is held there.
Paragraph (f) recognises the need to clean streets. Although there is sweeping of streets, there is no cleaning of them with water. I note with some satisfaction that someone has recently patented a product to get rid of chewing gum on footpaths. When we get a fine summer or fine days during summer, the city footpaths seem stale because, when they are swept, water is not used to cleanse and freshen them. Most European cities, especially those on the other side of the Alps which do not get much rain, clean their streets and power hose their footpaths. We must accept this not as best practice but as regular and routine practice in our cities. I ask for that to be written into the Bill in this amendment.
The amendment is very good and I propose to accept paragraphs (e) and (f) of it for the reasons the Deputy has outlined, which is that they add to the strength of the cleansing process. I ask her not to push paragraph (g), the establishment of an awards scheme. That should be left to local authorities to determine. Many already have such schemes and they should not be made a statutory obligation which would make them a chore to be done by law rather than a voluntary effort. For example, the Tidy Towns competition is not statutorily imposed but it is the most successful environmental awards scheme we have. On reflection, the Deputy should agree with me and I compliment her on the drafting of the parts of the amendment I accept.
I am grateful for the generous manner in which the Minister has accepted two of the three parts of my amendment. I accept the point he made about the establishment of award schemes for schools. I am not so sure we are so lawless that everything which becomes law is a matter for a vexatious outburst in rural Ireland and the subject matter of a play by John B. Keane or that the law becomes a chore to obey. It should be a privilege for young people in a modern democracy to obey the law.
The Deputy should be happy with the acceptance of two out of three amendments.
I had a green flag scheme for schools in mind, along the lines of the blue flag scheme for beaches which works well.
I am delighted to be a member of one of the more progressive local authorities in County Westmeath, where this is old hat. We run tidy estates and tidy schools awards and prominent people, including Mary McEvoy from Glenroe, make the presentations. County Westmeath is in the vanguard of this movement and the local authority will be delighted to hear that.
I agree with Deputy Quill that inculcation of pride in our environment at primary level is critical. Every local authority should ensure that targets are set and schools encouraged to participate. The employment of permanent outdoor staff by local authorities is critical to the maintenance of the environment. Much of the local authority budget is invested in street cleaning. Litter is generated all the time and the local authorities are faced with a huge dilemma in that area. I support the thrust of Deputy Quill's amendments and I glad the Minister supports them. The Minister should encourage local authorities who do not participate in awards schemes to do so. If they do not do so on a voluntary basis, we could make it mandatory. There is merit in these amendments.
I will be obliged to the Deputy if she withdraws the amendments to allow me to tidy them up and submit them on Report Stage.
Acting Chairman
Is that agreed? Agreed.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Amendment No. 17 not moved.
Section 8 agreed to.